Waterproof electrical socket.



Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

E. H. FREEMAN.

WATERPROOF ELECTRICAL SOCKET.

APPLIGATION FILED N0V.30,1e10, 94, l SO.

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'formen EDGAR H. FREEMAN, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

WATERPROOF ELECTRICAL SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

Application led November 30, 1910.` Serial No. 594,990.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDGAR I-I. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WeatherproofElectrical Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to plug-receiving sockets or receptaclesemployed in places exposed to the elements, and the primary object is toprovide a simple and readily separable structure, which will effectivelywithstand the deleterious influences of the weather, and can be wiredwith the greatest ease and expedition, and without the necessity ofbunching the wireor requiring a superfluous amount of the same.

A practical embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanyingdrawings, but it will be obvious from an inspection of the claims heretoappended that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specificstructure illustrated.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva tion of the`socket. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a side elevationshowing the parts separated. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base member oft-he socket. Fig. 5 is an inner end view of t-he body member of thesocket. Fig. 6 is a cross Isectional view substantially on the line 6 6of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the center plug contact and the couplingfinger associated therewith Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the couplingfinger for Athe screw shell contact.

In the embodiment disclosed, an outer protective casing, preferably ofmet-al, is

Vemployed comprising a cylindrical body section 10 and base cap 11detachably associated therewith and preferably threaded thereto as shownat 12. This cap has "a rearwardly extending nipple 13 provided with awirereceiving opening, and internally threaded as at 14 in order topermit it to be screwed to a conduit or other support. The cylindricalbody 10 has an open front end, which is preferably contracted slightly,as illustrated at 15. Within thisl protective casing is located therecept-acle formed of insulating material, preferably porcelain andcomprising two separable sections, namely, a base section 16 and a bodysection 17 that are confined together within the protective casing, aswill be clear by reference to Fig. 2. The base section 16 is rigidlysecured to the cap l11 of the protective casing by screws 18 or otherfasteners, and said section has a wire-receiving opening 19 alinin withthe opening in the nipple 13. The front-face of said base section is cutaway to form seats 2'0 in which are located wire-terminal plates 21heldin place by suitable screws or other fasteners 22, and being providedwith binding screws 23, to which the terminals of the line wires can beattached. The plates 21 also constitute clamping means for the offsetends 24 of outwardly and divergently projecting coupling fingers 25formed of spring metal and having bowed free ends 26. It will beobserved that the offset ends 24 are interposed between, the wireterminal plates 2l and the base, and that the fasteners 22 passtherethrough, (see Fig. 2). It will also be noted that the fingers 25project beyond the front face of the base.

The body section 17 of the receptacle is lprovided with a plug-receivingsocket 27 that opens through the front end thereof, and communicates atits inner end with a pair of spaced recesses 28 formed in the bottompart of said body section. These recesses 28 are located in oppositeportions of the bottom wall 29 of the plug-receiving socket 27. Arrangedin said socket 27 is the usual screw shell contact 29a, affording theside contact for the plug placed in the socket, and this screw shellcontact has a bottom wall 30 that is cut away and surrounds a boss 31formed on the center of the wall l29. A rearwardly extending bowedcoupling finger 32 is carried by yoke plate 33 thatbears against 'thebottom wall 30 of the screw shell 29, and said plate and shell arefastened in place by holding devices 34 passing therethrough and throughthe bottom wall 29, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 7. Thefinger 32 is disposed in one of the recesses 28, as shown, especially inFig. 2.

Located on the boss 31 of the rear wall 29 is a center plug contact,comprising diveranopening 39, through which the centerl plug contact35-36 passes, and the parts are secured to the rear wall 29 of the plugFig. 2. As already explained, the protective casing -11 incloses thereceptacle, comrising the separable sections 16 and 17.-

hen said sections 16 and 17 are in associated relation, the springcoupling fingers will interlock with the coupling fingers 32 and 38, sothat the wire terminal plates 21 and their binding screws 23 will beelectrically connected to the plug contact elements 29 and 36, and the.two parts of the 'receptacle also securely, though separably heldtogether.

To wire the device, all that is necessary is to unscrew the cylindricalbody 10 from the cap 11, and draw the section 17 0H from the section 16,as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the binding screws 23 are readilyaccessible, and the wires passed through the cap 11 and the base 16 canbe easily connected. When said connection has been accomplished all thatis necessary is to return the body section 17 of.

the receptacle member to its position against the base 16, whereupon theyielding coupling vrfingers will snap into contacting andinterlockingengagement.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be a out furtherdescription, and it will be understood that various changes in the size,shape,

proportion and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

I claim: i i f 1. In an electrical socket, the combination of areceptacle comprising two sections separably connected together by aspring snapfastening, and an outside `-protective casing inclosing thereceptacle and'arranged to hold the sections'thegof againstdisengagement, said casing comprising two sections having a screwconnection whlch constitutes the lock for the snap-fastening of thereceptacle sections.

2. In an electrical socket, the combination with an outer protectivecasing comprising a cylindrical body and a detachable cap connected tothe rear end thereof, of a receparent to those skilled in the art,withment having a plug-receiving socket, a screw shell contact locatedin the socket, a clamping plate engaging the screw shell contact andhaving a rearwardly extendingcoupling Lfinger, a fastening devicesecuring'the shell contact and clamping plate to the receptacle element,and a base part having an element separably connecting with saidcoupling finger.

4. In an electrical socket, a receptacle element having a plug-receivingsocket pro vided with a rear wall, a rearwardly extending couplingfinger located against the rear wall, a center plug contact having aportion clamped between the rear wall and the coupling finger and aportion extending over and spaced from said coupling finger, and a basepart having an element separablycom necting with said coupling finger.

5.A In an electrical socket, a receptacle element having ayplug-receiving socket provided with a rear wall, a rearwardly extendingcoupling finger having a portion disposed in front of the rearwall, andalso pro*- vided with an opening, a center plug contact spring doubledupon itself, one portion of -the spring being interposed between theiinger and t `e rearwall, said spring extending through the opening ofthe finger andhaving a portion .located thereover and spaced ftherefrom, and a fastening device passing through the finger, lthecenter plug contact, v

and engaging the rear wall of the plugreceiving socket.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my v signature in the presence oftwo witnesses. EDGAR H. FREEMAN.

Witnesses: JOHN B'. RUPPREGHT,

EDNA C. SMITH.

